Chrysalis
by Aqua Alta
Summary: People deserve to live in peace. Without the burden they keep in Shin Makoku, what will the characters be in a normal, peaceful world? With a school trip, yet without the slapping and nobility stuff, love might blossom slowly and innocently. YuuRam, AU.
1. Unite and Conquer

Chrysalis

_**Chrysalis**_

_**Author's Note:**_

**I know that I have not been active for such a long period, but it took me quite an effort to tear my interest away from original stories and back to fanfiction stories. **

_**Disclaimer:**_

**No, I don't own KKM.**

**XXX**

_People deserve to live a peaceful and untainted life. This is a story where Shin Makoku does not exist, and neither was magic nor wars. Here, people become what they are meant to be. And in a wet day, two boys might just realize their meaning of existence. YuuRam. AU._

**XXX**

_CHAPTER 1: Unite and Conquer_

It was not that Shibuya Yuuri hated his own school, but he had to admit that the school officials were simply total idiots in choosing the time for setting a school trip. "I mean," he complained out loud, "why would they choose the rainy spring days instead of the bright and cheerful summer days for a Friendship Trip?"

Murata Ken, the boy sitting next to him as the bus juggled down the road, flipped the page of the magazine he had been holding before replying, "Well, according to the information I received earlier, it was due to the fact that St. Reverend wants to invite our school to its own Friendship Trip or whatever they call it there."

Yuuri frowned, yawning as he dug around his backpack for a snack. "What's this St. Reverend?"

Immediately, he received a raised eyebrow from his friend. "You don't know?" Murata snickered, shaking his head in mock desperation. "Shibuya, would you please tell me your understanding of the meaning of this Friendship Trip?"

Eyeing Murata in suspicion of a trap, Yuuri shrugged and said rather ignorantly, pulling out a bag of potato chips, "Uh, a trip where all the boys get to, err, travel together to…increase friendship?"

"I should have suspected it," Murata sighed. "You did not listen to the speech of our headmaster, did you?"

An innocent shake of head followed the question as a reply.

"Well, Shibuya," Murata said, smiling a little, "perhaps you should know that the Friendship Trip is not about our friendship or our school's boys' friendship, mind you, but about our school's friendship with another school."

Another frown of bafflement settled upon Yuuri's forehead. "Where is the importance of that?"

Murata shrugged his shoulders. "Considering the owner of our school and the owner of St. Reverend are husband and wife, it would be strange if the two schools did not hold the connection instead, don't you think?"

"Married?" Yuuri spluttered, accidentally pulling his bag of chips open in surprise. "Wow! Amazing! And what's this St. Reverend?"

Pulling a sheet of crumpled paper from a pocket, Murata coughed and began reading whatever was written on the paper, "St. Reverend is an all-boys school, and their speciality is their famous music program. It has its own dormitory, which is able to house up to four hundred boys in one time. Currently, there are three hundred and five students studying in St. Reverend. Hmm, it seems that St. Reverend is a rather elite school, compared to ours."

"Oh man," Yuuri moaned. "Then I guess all the students would be brats."

"We have to mingle with them for the next two weeks, remember," said Murata, folding the paper back. "St. Reverend is sending all the first grade students to this Friendship Trip. That means they will be in our grade and age, but they can play music and are going to a school with better facilities."

Yuuri scowled. "Which means they will probably act all arrogant to us."

Murata simply opened his magazine again. "Just enjoy the trip, Shibuya," he advised. "We might get something unexpected."

**XXX**

"To unite and conquer! That has been the motto of our two schools ever since they were founded. Today, our two schools are being united once again, according to the tradition, in the Friendship Trip, with Midoriyama Senior High as the organizer. This event will be repeated in summer, where St. Reverend takes its role as the organizer. Therefore, boys, right now you are sitting…."

Yawning, Yuuri nudged Murata, who was sitting on the patch of grass next to him. "Why is the headmaster of our school a professional in delivering boring speeches?" he moaned, folding his arms across his chest. "Besides, why the hell are we gathering on a soccer field? Look at the boys from St. Reverend on our left. Their uniform looks so expensive, compared to ours…."

"Appearance never reflects what is within," said Murata, rather wisely. "About the soccer field, well, you can't force two hundred and fifty seven boys into one room, can you? This is a good place, as long as it is not ra…."

The first drops of rain began to fall, and Yuuri looked up. "So much for your sentence, Murata," he sighed, looking around.

And that was when he spotted a commotion among the St. Reverend boys. A blonde boy (which seemed rather too foreign for him; fancy seeing a foreigner among the members of his school trip!) had apparently stood up in the middle of the Midoriyama's headmaster's speech and took off his school jacket, using it instead to cover a large black case of something Yuuri would never have guessed. Then, making his way through the lumps of sitting boys, the blonde boy took off, bringing the black case with him to the nearest shelter.

Yet it was nothing compared to what followed next. As the rain fell harder, more and more boys stood up and left, mostly covering something beneath their jacket in hurry, panicking to find shelter. "What's up with them?" Yuuri noted, confused. "Don't tell me they can't afford to see their luggage getting a little bit damp!" As if to underline that statement, Yuuri poked his own waterproof backpack sitting on the wet grass next to him.

"But their bags are still sitting on the grass," Murata said slowly.

Glancing at the left, Yuuri shrugged when he saw the abandoned luggage. "Then, what's with the hurry?"

"Those are musical instruments, Yuuri," Murata sighed. "They are protecting their instruments. Most portable instruments are vulnerable to high humidity." He gestured with his chin towards the blonde boy, who had found his shelter at the porch of the nearest store from the field. "He is probably holding a violin. Or a viola."

The headmaster's speech ended, and the boys were all shepherded back toward their buses, which would escort them to the arranged inn. From the corner of his eyes, Yuuri watched as the blonde boy covered his violin (or whatever it was) with his jacket again and made a dash towards the bus, his long legs swift even while the road was slick with rain.

Out of instincts, Yuuri stepped aside to let him in first, and the boy took the chance immediately. He was dripping wet as he put his violin on a seat. Yuuri got into the bus himself, and curiously he poked the black case. "What's inside this?" he asked.

The blonde looked at him with a dishevelled stare, and suddenly he thrust the case into Yuuri's unsuspecting hands. Yuuri yelped, catching the case just in time. "Could you please take care of it for a moment?" the blonde said breathlessly. "My luggage is still outside…." His eyes then caught the scene outside the window of the bus. A tall man with dark brown hair was waving to the direction of the bus, a large, green backpack slung over his shoulder. The blonde boy waved back and the man took off, in which the boy sighed in relief. He retrieved his case from Yuuri, before saying, "Thanks. It seems that my brother has taken care of my luggage."

Slightly stunned, Yuuri could only nod his head and said, "Err, it's all right."

The blonde took his seat next to the window, and promptly Yuuri looked around for an empty seat. Murata was waving towards him from the front part of the bus, and Yuuri was about to approach his friend when suddenly the blonde spoke up, "I don't mind if you sit next to me, you know."

Yuuri turned around, only to find the blonde's green eyes boring deep into him. "Ah, no," he smiled politely. "It's just that...my friend apparently has saved a seat for me. Thanks a lot." The blonde nodded, and Yuuri was just going when he saw the brown-haired man embarking the bus from the front door and approaching Murata, still holding the green backpack. Murata immediately moved to give the man some space, waving an apology towards Yuuri, in which Yuuri replied.

"Oh, well," Yuuri sighed. He had been hoping to read Murata's magazines to pass the time while the bus took its time travelling to the inn. He faced the wet blonde once again. "It seems that your brother has taken the seat. May I sit next to you?"

The blonde shrugged, and Yuuri immediately plopped down on the aisle seat next to him. He stretched a hand politely. "My name is Shibuya Yuuri. May I know yours?"

The blonde boy gazed at his hand for a moment, before taking it with a lopsided smile. "It's Bielefeld. My name is Wolfram von Bielefeld."

**XXX**

**Uh, since this is my first story after such a long hiatus, I need your comments badly! Yay or nay, everyone?**

_Aqua Alta_


	2. Everything and Anything

Chrysalis

_**Chrysalis**_

_**Author's Note:**_

**Here is the second chapter. I hope you enjoy it!**

_**Disclaimer:**_

**Nope, KKM isn't mine. As you all know well.**

**XXX**

_CHAPTER 2: Everything and Anything_

"_Because in a rainy day you might find anything_

_And everything, yeah, everything_

_You might be alone and dry right now, who knows?_

_But in the end of the rain, you might be holding_

_Somebody else's hand, with wet laughter all over"_

"Shibuya? Hello? Shibuya?"

The gentle nudge barely, just barely, chased out the sleep from his eyes, and Shibuya Yuuri squirmed in protest against the intruder. Tucking his head further on the crook of his own shoulder, he moaned, "Just five minutes more…."

For a minute, peace was rightfully regained, and Yuuri snuggled against his backpack sitting next to him, preparing for another journey to the Slumber Land, with his iPod still playing his favourite song over and over again. _'Ah, life sure is good,'_ he mumbled inwardly, mind already hazy.

"_You might be sleeping in a rainy day_

_Dreaming of somebody you never know_

_And suddenly when you wake up_

_The rain is still falling_

_And your dreamed one is sitting next to you"_

"Shibuya!"

Yuuri was about to grumble, his hands flailing angrily for his disturbed rest, when suddenly somebody popped off the speakers of his iPod from his ears. He was going to growl in anger, yet then a hand nudged his shoulder, hard.

The magic was gone. The last dust of sleep was vanishing fast, and Yuuri woke up still hearing the same song again and again in his head.

"_The rain is still falling_

_And your dreamed one is sitting next to you"_

"Shibuya Yuuri! Wake up!"

Waking up in a jolt, Yuuri sat up straight, pupils dilated, eyes wide. "What?" he snarled, the remnants of the shock still residing within his being. "What happened?"

Upon finding no answer from the empty air, and also none from the scene of boys spending their leisure time in front of him, he turned towards the boy next to him. Wolfram von Bielefeld was holding the speakers of his iPod in two hands, a frown marring his pale forehead, his green eyes blazing in what Yuuri registered as extreme displeasure. "Err, what did I do wrong?" he half-yawned, scratching the back of his head. "I was sleeping, you know!"

Nose turned up high in the air, the foreign boy scoffed, "Of course I know. What, did you take me as an idiot? The bedroom arrangement is being announced in five minutes more. Would you have preferred to be left alone and lost?"

"But surely there is another _polite_ way of waking me up!"

Emerald eyes narrowed with utmost ferocity, causing Yuuri to cower under the effeminate male in an instant. "Shibuya, I have called your name more than thrice, did you not know?" Wolfram said, tone chilly and murderous. "I swear, I have never met any other with such a sleepy and dense head aside from…."

"Attention, boys!"

Saved and relieved, Yuuri immediately turned his gaze to the front part of the bus. "Hey, isn't that your brother?" he asked, receiving an affirmative nod from Wolfram.

"His name is Conrad," Wolfram informed him. "He teaches piano in St. Reverend."

The boys were silencing up; however, Conrad was still waiting, and he did not speak before the last voices whispered away into silence. "All right," he began, his lips curving into a friendly smile. "My name is Conrad Weller, a piano teacher from St. Reverend…."

Baffled, Yuuri whispered to his sitting partner, "I thought you said he was your brother?"

"He is, stupid. I thought you were not deaf?"

Ignoring the insult, Yuuri turned to face the blonde. "Then, why are your names different?"

In a flash, Wolfram's features seemed to tense up. His gaze dropped. "It's not of your business," he said quietly. "I might tell you, but right now is not appropriate, Shibuya."

Intrigued Yuuri might be, yet Conrad chose that moment to continue, causing Yuuri to look at the older man again and discontinue his whispers with Wolfram for a moment. "I am here to tell you about the bedroom arrangement once you get into the inn," the brown-haired man said, pulling out a piece of paper from the front pocket of his damp jacket. "Since one inn will never fit for the whole of us, we have hired four separate inns. Beforehand, you need to know that each room will hold two boys each, one from Midoriyama and one from St. Reverend."

"Aw!" Yuuri moaned. "There goes my chance of borrowing Murata's magazines."

His partner scowled. "Hush! Listen for a moment, will you?"

Unaware of the slight commotion from the back seat, Conrad continued his announcement, "In the first inn, there are twenty rooms. You will find all the rooms numbered once you get there. The teachers will occupy the first until the fourth room. A student and myself will occupy the fifth room. Is there anybody here by the name Murata Ken?"

In disbelief, Yuuri exclaimed, "Murata? But…wow! What a coincidence! Isn't your brother's seat next to Murata's?"

Sure enough, Murata was already holding his hand up in the air. Conrad gave him a chuckle in acknowledgement, before continuing the list.

"Well, you know what they say," Wolfram said, slouching on his own seat, eyes directed on the road outside and the fuzzy, rain-bathed scenes. "Everything can happen in a rainy day."

"Room number nineteen will be occupied by Wolfram von Bielefeld from St. Reverend…."

Yuuri nudged the blonde's shoulder. "Hey, that's your name."

A scowl was the reply Yuuri got. "Of course I know!" Wolfram snarled. "Don't take me as an idiot!"

"But I am not taking you as an idiot!"

This last sentence was declared so loud; that even Conrad coughed to reprimand Yuuri, causing the latter's face to heat up in embarrassment as all eyes turned towards him. "Damn you," Yuuri cursed Wolfram, although in a barely audible tone, hoping that Wolfram would not notice.

His hope did not last long, for emerald eyes turned into emerald flames. "What did you say before?"

"Ahem," Conrad cleared his throat, his smile remaining as friendly as ever. "Any problem, Wolfram?"

Onyx and emerald eyes immediately stared down in shame, and two mouths mumbled, "Nothing."

Conrad nodded. "Good. Now, room number nineteen will be occupied by Wolfram von Bielefeld from St. Reverend and Shibuya Yuuri from Midoriyama."

It took three full seconds before the impact of the sentence arrived upon the two teenagers' mind.

"Oh God," Yuuri half-wailed. "What's up with the coincidences today?"

Averting his eyes back to the window, Wolfram said, "I've told you before." He paused for a second, before shaking his head and resumed his speech, "Everything and anything seems to happen in a rainy day."

Gulping, Yuuri simply popped the speakers of his iPod back to his ears.

"_Because in a rainy day you might find anything_

_And everything, yeah, everything_

_You might be alone and dry right now, who knows?_

_But in the end of the rain, you might be holding_

_Somebody else's hand, with wet laughter all over_

_You might be sleeping in a rainy day_

_Dreaming of somebody you never know_

_And suddenly when you wake up_

_The rain is still falling_

_And your dreamed one is sitting next to you"_

**XXX**

**I wrote this one faster than what I planned. Is it lame? Critics are extremely welcomed!**

_Aqua Alta_


	3. Lit It Up and Explode

Chrysalis

_**Chrysalis**_

_**Author's Note:**_

**I wasn't satisfied by how the second chapter turned out. I read it all over again, only to find disappointment. I hope this third chapter is better! Please, enjoy everyone! **

_**Disclaimer:**_

**I don't own KKM, though I plan to do so…in my dreams.**

**XXX**

_CHAPTER 3: Lit It Up and Explode_

Wolfram von Bielefeld squirmed and moved uncomfortably on his seat, alabaster cheeks flushed in discomfort. As if there had been enough space to move around! Wolfram was already squashed to the window by his violin case, while next to the violin was his room partner Shibuya Yuuri, who had a large backpack on his own sitting next to the empty air of the aisle. Honestly, even canned sardines had got more space to get their blood circulation going…. _'Oh, what the heck,'_ Wolfram grunted inwardly. _'Canned sardines no longer have blood that circulates.'_

"Hey, would you ever stop twisting?" Yuuri complained, taking off the speakers of his iPod from his ears, only to pout in annoyance at the blonde. "Honestly, I am listening to a really good song here. So, can you please stop squirming about?"

Rather taken aback by the sudden tone, Wolfram scowled. "As if you knew what are classified as good songs!" he snorted, folding his arms across his chest in irritation.

Shaking his head, Yuuri threw him the iPod, which Wolfram caught rather clumsily. "Listen to it," the jet black haired boy said. "You come from a school with a music program, right? Well, if you say that song is bad, then I am sure you are a rather pathetic student in your class."

"What's gotten into you?" Wolfram snickered, putting on the earphones. "I never thought you valued music to the point of intolerance towards any kinds of distraction, Shibuya."

"Hey!" Now, the tone displayed a heart that was mildly insulted. Wolfram could not hold back a smirk of triumph. "Don't underestimate me. I like music, too. My mom can play piano, and my dad can play guitar and harmonica. I know that they are not really good, and that even though I can play harmonica and recorder, I will never be a musician. However, is it wrong to like music? I appreciate music a lot, you know." A scratch of head followed this small speech. "Well, even though I always personally think that baseball comes first…."

Wolfram stared, emerald eyes wide and round, causing Yuuri to gulp in nervousness. "Don't stare at me like that!" he wailed, averting his eyes from his sitting partner.

This time, the blonde did not even bother to snicker. He laughed out loud, a laughter which was followed by a string of subtle curses from Yuuri. "Shibuya?" he asked softly, only to receive an indignant grunt as a reply. Wolfram smiled. "I think we both have a similarity after all. You are amusing, you know."

"I'm not glad," Yuuri growled half-heartedly, causing Wolfram to chuckle in half victory and half mirth before pressing the play button on the iPod.

When the melody hit his mind, Wolfram was all but sane.

His jaw dropped, and his eyes widened as the earphones fed each note into his ears. Quickly he checked the title of the song. The screen of the iPod read, "A Rainy Day (Instrumental). Artist: Lazarus."

Noticing the sudden change of expression, Yuuri leaned towards Wolfram. "What's the matter?" he asked, baffled. "Don't tell me that the impact of the music is that great! Well, though I am glad that you appreciate it, isn't your reaction kind of…overboard? Hello? Bielefeld? Hello?"

Slender fingers came into view from behind the violin case, which was obstructing Yuuri's view of Wolfram. Yuuri gulped as on hand snagged the collar of his uniform, and he was about to back away when another hand gripped his shoulder tightly. "This song," Wolfram said, voice harsh, "where did you get it?"

Both terrified and baffled, Yuuri spluttered, "Get your hands off my collar first! Man, you're, you're choking me! Honestly, you're overreacting!"

The hands withdrew, and Yuuri immediately loosened his collar. _'Oh man!'_ Yuuri moaned, inwardly for sure, _'what's up with this guy, actually?'_

"Lazarus," Wolfram whispered, and Yuuri turned to his direction (or at least at the violin case, since Wolfram was sitting behind that case), "is an amateur band. They just finished recording their new album the day before yesterday. Where did you get this from?"

A smile of satisfaction appeared on Yuuri's lips. He grinned boyishly. "Well, the guitarist of the band is my close friend from elementary. He gave me all the recordings for free, with the consent of all members, of course. They have awesome songs. Especially the one titled 'A Rainy Day'. The instrumental version of that song is so perfect. My friend said that they wanted a violinist to take place of the singer; therefore they called for a young violinist. I heard the violinist was in our grade! His playing is simply amazing, right?"

Emerald green eyes narrowed dangerously. "Lynx actually said that he gave you those recordings with the consent of all members?"

"Well, yeah, that was what he said to me, down to the exact words. He…. Hey, wait! How the hell did you know his name?"

There was a snort from behind the violin. "It's none of your business," Wolfram replied curtly, signing the end of the conversation. With that, he extended his hand, giving back the iPod to its owner.

Still intrigued, Yuuri accepted what was his, before putting the earphones into his own ears. "I still think that you overreact too much, Bielefeld," he murmured with a desperate sigh. "You are really emotional, you know?"

"Not your business! You yourself is wimp, you know, Shibuya?"

"A WIMP? Take that back, you…you guy with PMS!"

Invisible to Yuuri's eyes, a twitch of annoyance formed on the corners of Wolfram's lips and eyes. Cool emerald depths turned into fiery pits, and pale hands were clenched tightly. The last rein of emotions was being held in check tightly, very tightly.

Beyond the black violin case, Yuuri was mistaking Wolfram's silence as his triumph. "Running out of words, aren't you? Listen, I think you really should hold onto your emotions with better control so that… AAARRRRGGGHHHHH!!"

The violin case had been set aside, and Wolfram pounced onto Yuuri with the ferocity of a lion onto its prey. Yuuri fell onto his backpack, which promptly collapsed onto the aisle of the bus. Even before Yuuri's back made contact with the floor, Wolfram was already on top of him, straddling his waist. "YOU WIMP!" he bellowed, hands once again gripping Yuuri by the collar, eyes burning a hole straight on Yuuri's cranium. "You know nothing! Nothing! People say I should be calmer, should be less emotional, but they know nothing! They don't know me! You don't! People should just keep their mouth shut!"

By then, all the boys were staring, though none spoke a word. Shaken yet also angered, Yuuri retaliated by delivering a loud slap on the blonde's cheek, causing the latter to fall back and immediately hit his head on the iron armrest of Yuuri's seat.

Unconsciousness was immediate. Wolfram slumped against the chair, and whispers travelled through the boys. Yuuri scrambled back to his feet, trembling. Wolfram looked so fragile and pale, right there before his very eyes.

Before Yuuri could do anything, not even panicking due to Wolfram's condition, a man he recognized as Wolfram's brother had already stooped before him, gathering the blonde boy into his arms. Suddenly, the full realization of what he had done impacted upon Yuuri's brain with full ferocity, and shame and guilt invaded his mind. "I'm sorry!" he said, flustered in all of a sudden. "Is he all right?"

The man glanced at him, before smiling with such sadness that Yuuri felt unnerved by it. "No, it was never your fault to begin with," he spoke, dark brown bangs covering his eyes. "This is not the first time Wolfram throws a tantrum. It is probably a good thing that you managed to knock him unconscious. He could have done far greater damage if you had not done so. I apologize on his behalf."

Beads of sweat trickled down Yuuri's forehead. "No, it's all right," he murmured. "I guess I insulted him too…."

The man, Conrad Weller, continued with a sombre smile, "I understand that you do not wish to be with him anymore. I heard from Murata Ken that you were his best friend. I would arrange for a change of bedroom partner. For now, would you like to sit next to Murata?"

Surprised, Yuuri could do nothing but shake his head. "No," he insisted. "It was partially my fault too. I would like to sit next to Wolfram and be his room partner. Please, I was the one who should apologize for hurting your brother. I did not mean to. We were doing all right before we debated over something."

Shock flitted through Conrad's brown orbs, before a smile settled in. "Shibuya, isn't it?" he asked gently. "Please, just Yuuri," the boy said. Conrad chuckled. "Well, Yuuri," he sighed, replacing Wolfram's figure back on the blonde's seat, next to the violin case, "if it is you, then perhaps Wolfram can be understood once."

Yuuri was about to ask another question regarding the casual remark, yet the man had already bowed to him and left for his own seat, back to Murata's side.

'_What did he mean…by that?'_

**XXX**

**I'm sorry; it's truly trash. Yay or nay? (sighs) SWRF will be updated by Tuesday.**

_Aqua Alta_


	4. Take a Bow and Leave

Chrysalis

_**Chrysalis**_

_**Author's Note:**_

**I'm sorry for the late update. My Internet crashed again and before I had the chance to fix it, my dad declared a sudden holiday trip T.T **

_**Disclaimer:**_

**Nope, I don't own KKM. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfics, would I?**

**XXX**

_CHAPTER 4: Take a Bow and Leave_

Despite always bragging himself as someone who could appreciate all kinds of music (be it hard core rock or classical pieces), Wolfram simply could not find anything to be appreciated within the music he was currently hearing. Really, even cats' caterwauling would be marginally better. Therefore, a true music critic by the heart, Wolfram flung himself upright and stood on his own shaky feet, bright emerald eyes aflame and lips ready to form the worst critic the player would ever receive in his whole life.

Only to find himself in a foreign and unrecognized room, standing without his boots but merely his socks, clad in pajamas that weren't even his to begin with!

His mind quickly evaluated the situation. He was within what seemed to be a small room made for two, sparsely furnished and rather dark (the lamp was not turned on, and the moonlight was simply not enough), merely consisting a large cupboard, a desk, a chair, a small sofa, and two beds with a nightstand for each. He was standing on the bed next to the window and further from the door. A quick glance towards the bed confirmed that his green backpack was sitting loyally on its foot, and his treasured violin next to the green colour. However, what was that lying on the surface of the other bed? A squint towards the direction of the unrecognizable object identified it as a person, sitting with his back towards Wolfram, the figure slightly hunched.

"Who's there?" Wolfram voiced out loud, tone tense and wary. It wasn't everyday he found himself suddenly being in an unfamiliar room, without his shoes, wearing somebody else's pajamas, and kept together with a stranger.

The figure turned towards him, and the disturbing sound (Wolfram thought the screeching noise was not appropriate to be judged as 'music') immediately stopped. The stranger stood up and moved towards the wall, close to the door of the room. Suddenly, the room was bathed within the dim and suffering light of the cheap bulb hanging from the ceiling. However, even the measly light was enough to make Wolfram blink and resettle his sight for a while, disoriented.

And from the light, seeming to emerge was Shibuya Yuuri.

It took three seconds before the blond could re-recognize his bedroom partner. "Shibuya, isn't it?" he questioned, frowning. Something was wrong with him. His head was definitely aching, and he had to resist the urge of kneading his forehead. "You're my bedroom partner."

The black-haired boy nodded. Somehow, the gesture appeared to be rather awkward and sheepish in Wolfram's eyes. The word 'wimp immediately flitted in his mind. Really, even five years old had got more backbone.

Pulling at the fabric of the pajamas he was wearing, Wolfram threw another question, "Are these yours?"

Another nod, followed by a timid explanation, "Err, your brotherMr. Weller, I meanttold me not to open your bag without any permission from you. He said you would not like it. So I lent you a pair of my own pajamas."

"Hell yes, I don't like people rummaging through my stuff," Wolfram said, positively starting to flame. "How did I arrive here?"

The other boy visibly winced from that question, although it might be from Wolfram's accusing glare. "Weerrdid not hit it off smoothly, don't you remember?" Yuuri said. A certain tension began to build up nicely. Sensing the incoming danger, flustered, Yuuri added, "Not that it was something worth remembering…. Eh, it was just a kind of misunderstanding. Don't sweat to try to remember it."

Heightening his glare, positively pinning down Yuuri by his flaming stare, Wolfram growled, "My head hurts like hell, Shibuya."

Out of impulse, the other retorted, "Well, my ass is still aching! You _threw_ me to the floor, for God's sake!"

Another silence dawned upon the room as the two boys fumed quietly, keeping their thoughts to their own selves. Had there been Conrad or Murata, they would have restored peace with a good-natured laugh; however, since they had not, and Luck forbid them from entering the room soon, the two boys were left with the matters in their own hands. Peace between them was like a thin layer of ice, and they were treading upon that layer with utmost carelessness. It was simply too easily broken.

Desperate to strike another conversation, and at least a civil one, Wolfram asked in monotone, "Did you hear anything strange just now?"

This drew Yuuri's attention all right. 'Normal' was not a term he could often apply to the conversations held between him and Wolfram, and he decided to seize whatever chances there were for keeping civil. All the retorts, sarcasms, and insults could wear one out really quickly. "What sound?" he asked back in confusion, eyebrows high and arched.

Wolfram wrinkled his nose, as if remembering some bad odour. "It was a screeching sound," he described, starting to pace in front of his bed. "It sounded like music, but I would go to hell before admitting it as music."

"Music?" This time, Yuuri really lost it. "What music? This room is soundproof, you know. The owner said a lot of musicians came here every autumn to discuss music, so most of the rooms are built with carpeted walls. The only music here…. Oh…."

Looking as if all the colours had been drained straight out of his face, Yuuri scrunched up his face, embarrassed all in a sudden. "Was it really that bad?" he questioned, rather sheepishly.

The blonde shrugged. "Maybe not, but my ears are trained to sounds, Shibuya. What other people think as a tad out of tune is a fault of monstrosity to my hearing organs."

Ruffling his already tousled hair with one hand, Yuuri sighed, averting his eyes to the ceiling. "It was me, okay," he admitted, voice slightly harsher, as if he had just admitted the most embarrassing moment of his life. "I was playing my recorder." With that, he gestured towards the instrument lying on the sheet of his bed, something which Wolfram had not realized before.

Silence dawned along with realization. The clock, set on one corner of the room, ticked by several seconds. Yuuri scratched his head sheepishly. Wolfram stared.

Then, like hot knife cutting through frozen butter, Wolfram's voice piped up smugly, "That was music?"

Yuuri desperately placed his gaze anywhere aside from Wolfram. Embarrassment saturated his very being, and he knew well that his face had to be flaming red. What he would not give for a hole to appear beneath him! "I did not say it was music," he grumbled, sitting down on his bed with only his bed displayed to Wolfram. "I goddamn know my playing is bad without you telling me, Bielefeld."

"Hmm," Wolfram mumbled incomprehensibly, before approaching and taking Yuuri's recorder from its place, tangled in the sheets. "Let's see…. It's been such a long time since I played one."

With that, his lips touched the mouthpiece, and he blew.

Sweet, sweet melodyhauntingly familiar yet pleasant to the earsdrifted through the stale and dusty air of the room, and Yuuri found himself being stunned by the melody alone. Wolfram's slender fingers danced down the holes of the recorderclosing, opening, and closing again. A vibration came, and the air vibrated along with it.

Yuuri's breath hitched as Wolfram did a particularly complex series of notes without any trouble at all, and the music took a turn, gradually beginning a subtle yet breathtaking crescendo. Another vibration, and Yuuri thought his own breath shimmered along with the notes. _'How does he do that?'_ Yuuri wondered, eyes wide, mouth agape, andmost of allears sensitive to every change of the melody. _'How does he…play the music so naturally? As natural as he breathes and talk?'_

Mesmerizing. That was the only word Yuuri could think about to describe the two. Wolfram and music. Music and Wolfram. Those two circled in his head, andas the melody reached its climaxhe began to have difficulties trying to find out where the music ended and Wolfram began, or where Wolfram ended and the notes began.

He was a prodigy. He was something special. Someone who could create such beauty surely was someone special. Yuuri was sure of that.

And ten minutes ago, the only sound that recorder could make was worse than cats' caterwauling. Such was the irony of the world.

The music turned into a diminuendo, before ending in pianissimo. Yuuri fumbled for his breath as Wolfram let go of the mouthpiece. For the dark-eyed boy, the person in front of him was not the bratty Wolfram von Bielefeld, who had pushed him down to his ass earlier. No, it was music, yet it was also Wolfram.

'_It's really goddamn confusing….'_

Wolfram tilted his pale head. Those eyes…. Those emerald eyes. They were waiting for something, anything. Yuuri tried to discern it. _'Is he waiting for a reaction?'_

Therefore, Shibuya Yuuri did something his mind first told him to do.

He raised his trembling palms, and they met together in an also trembling clap. Another clap followed, less shaky than the first one. Then another followed. God, he could not seem to stop applauding what was standing before his eyes. _'It's something…that isn't supposed to be earthly. Something much more than flesh and blood….'_

There was something beneath that pretty boy. Yuuri could not be surer than that.

Wolfram's eyes met his, and those green depths were twinkling with surprise and joy.

"Beautiful," Yuuri said breathlessly, himself not sure whether he was complimenting Wolfram or the music. But it didn't matter, did it? Music was Wolfram, and Wolfram was music. He could never fathom what set the two of them apart.

However, right then and there, Wolfram's lips curled into a small smile, and the music took a bow, a fluid and graceful one nonetheless.

And Yuuri knew he had said the right word.

**XXX**

**I honestly don't know what was on mind when I wrote this. Critics are very much welcomed and appreciated.**

_Aqua Alta_


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